Roasted sweet pumpkin turns velvety smooth when blended with hearty cauliflower and creamy oat milk. Fresh ginger adds a punchy brightness while smoked paprika and nutty cumin coax deep, soul soothing flavors into this creamy cauliflower and pumpkin soup.
Lots of pumpkin recipes call for canned pumpkin, but when possible, I go for the real deal. This little guy we got from The Garlic Farm in the fall and he spent a nice, cozy winter with us, traveling around from one surface in the apartment to another–morbidly enough, getting a wee bit closer to the kitchen with each and every move.
Eventually, it landed on the kitchen counter and I knew it was time to crack it open. Yes, it is nearly March. Yes we purchased said pumpkin nearly 5 months ago. Yes, it is still good. Winter squash = mind blowing!
The first half of the pumpkin went into a slow cooker stew (which to be honest didn’t turn out that great–through no fault of the pumpkin!) and I knew that this half was destined to become some sort of a creamy pumpkin and cauliflower soup with ginger.
I find that many pumpkin soup recipes have serious pumpkin pie vibes, with an ingredients list featuring all the usual suspects for a pumpkin-spiced treat. Not the pumpkin cauliflower soup in my house! I use roasted garlic and onions, smoky seasonings, umami-rich chicken stock, and a pinch of spicy cayenne to bring this sweet squash into the savory realm.
The only thing that could make this any better: some melty thyme & gruyere topped toast for dipping and mopping. Though overall this is a fairly healthy cauliflower and pumpkin soup, make no mistake, this meal is for the soul.
noteworthy ingredients for cauliflower and pumpkin soup
- fresh pumpkin: I used half of a small pumpkin which turned into about 6 cups once peeled and cubed. I am a fall girlie through and through so I love cooking with fresh pumpkers, but I realize they are not always available and have some alternatives listed below.
- fresh ginger: I encourage you to use fresh ginger (as opposed to powdered) here, as it makes a big difference to the flavor of your soup. A good shortcut option, however, is store bought ginger paste! I find these often have great fresh flavor–without the hassle of peeling and chopping that gangly ol’ ginger root. You’ll usually find ginger paste in a tube or jar in the produce department.
- smoked paprika: I received this Las Hermanas sweet smoked paprika (plus its hot smoked counterpart!) as a gift years ago and I adore using it. If you like things hot hot hot, by all means use hot smoked paprika instead.
- oat milk: Make sure to choose unsweetened, unflavored oat milk here. I love Oatley brand–it has a great flavor and a nice creamy texture.
- roasted pumpkin seed oil (not pictured): I’m all about the condiments and a few drops of dark and rich pumpkin seed oil looks and tastes great on top of this roasted pumpkin cauliflower soup. Toasted sesame oil adds a similar note, or you can skip the drizzle altogether if you prefer to keep things clean.
ingredient substitutions and variations
no pumpkin? no problem.
Use an equal amount of peeled, cubed butternut squash or kabocha squash (also known as Japanese pumpkin). Fresh pumpkins and squash will produce a more vibrant color and flavor, but you can of course use canned pumpkin in a pinch. Just make sure to grab plain, pure canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling which has sugars and spices mixed in.
swap the stock.
Instead of chicken stock, you can use vegetable broth or stock. Choose one with a nice rich flavor though. Some brands are so watery! I really like the Kitchen Basics and find all of their stocks to be deeply flavored.
blending options.
I use an immersion blender (highly recommend it if you have the funds and/or a bit of extra kitchen space!) but you can definitely use an upright blender too. When blending something hot in an upright blender, let it cool down a bit as this helps to avoid steam buildup inside the container. Then transfer the warm cooked vegetables and liquids to the blender and secure the lid tightly. Whiz until smooth and return your cauliflower pumpkin soup to the pot to re-warm it.
how to make cauliflower and pumpkin soup: step by step
- Preheat your oven to 425℉. Peel and dice the pumpkin. When working with a large round (read: slippery!) item like this, I usually cut it into smaller pieces that are more handleable. Peel the pumpkin pieces using an ordinary vegetable peeler and dice into large chunks.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel the garlic cloves, but leave them whole.
- Toss the diced pumpkin, cauliflower florets, chopped onion, and garlic cloves, with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon for later). Season with salt and black pepper to taste and salt and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. You may have to use 2 baking sheets like I did.
- Roast the veggies in the preheated oven for 20-30 mins, giving them a stir and a flip about halfway through cooking. You’re looking for the onion and garlic to be softened and for the veggies to develop some deep golden-brown spots. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the veggies are roasting, peel and grate the fresh ginger. In a large soup pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated ginger along with all of the spices: cumin, thyme, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Allow the mixture to cook for about a minute, stirring constantly for one minute until fragrant. It will have a paste-like texture.
- Tip all of the roasted vegetables into the pot with the cooked spice mixture, then add chicken stock, and oat milk.
- Use an immersion blender on low to start slowly blending the soup, breaking down the large chunks.
- Once the large chunks of veggies are gone, increase the speed and continue blending until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and/or consistency if needed. Keep your soup warm over low heat–stirring occasionally–while you make the cheesy thyme below.
how to make cheesy thyme toast
For me, creamy soups are incomplete without a toasty something or other for dunking! Gruyere has a nutty flavor that goes soooo well with pumpkin and it melts nicely atop crusty bread. You can definitely keep this recipe dairy free and forgo the cheesy toast. As I write this, I’m coming off of a months-long low-fat diet thanks to some pesky gallstones–so personally, I’m going for it as I’ve got a lot of cheese to catch up on.
- Choose a nice crusty bread and slice it. Peel a garlic clove, leaving it whole, and shred the gruyere cheese. The thyme did not make it out of my refrigerator in THYME (ha ha ha…) for this photo, but go ahead and strip a few sprigs of their little leaves. Breathe deep. Isn’t that the best smell 😌
- Lightly toast the bread then rub the surface of each slice with a raw whole garlic clove. It sounds weird, I know, but I saw this trick on Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals some 20+ years ago and it has stuck with me ever since! Top each toast with some shredded gruyere and a few fresh thyme leaves.
- Broil the toasts for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
eat!
Ladle your roast pumpkin and cauliflower soup into serving bowls and top with roasted pumpkin oil, cracked pepper, and slices of cheesy thyme toast. Fully detailed recipe below.
Enjoy & let me know what you think 🌙 💛
roasted pumpkin and cauliflower soup recipe
Roasted sweet pumpkin turns velvety smooth when blended with hearty cauliflower and creamy oat milk. Fresh ginger adds a punchy brightness while smoked paprika and nutty cumin coax deep, soul soothing flavors.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings (about 3 quarts)
Ingredients
for the soup:
- ½ small pumpkin (yield after peeling & cubing: about 6 cups / 650g / 1.5 pounds)
- 1 small to medium head cauliflower
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- a 3 inch knob of fresh ginger (yield after peeling and grating: about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 cup oat milk
for the cheesy thyme toast:
- sliced crusty bread
- 1 whole garlic clove, peeled
- shredded gruyere cheese
- fresh thyme leaves
for serving:
- roasted pumpkin seed oil or toasted sesame oil
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
make the soup:
- Preheat your oven to 425℉. Peel and dice the pumpkin. I usually cut it into smaller pieces that are more handleable. Peel the pumpkin pieces using an ordinary vegetable peeler and dice into large chunks.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel the garlic cloves, but leave them whole.
- Toss the diced pumpkin, cauliflower florets, chopped onion, and garlic cloves, with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon for later). Season with salt and black pepper to taste and salt and arrange in a single layer on baking sheets.
- Roast the veggies in the preheated oven for 20-30 mins, giving them a stir and a flip about halfway through cooking. Continue roasting until softened and dark golden-brown in some areas. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the veggies are roasting, peel and grate the fresh ginger. In a large soup pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated ginger along with all of the spices: cumin, thyme, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Allow the mixture to cook for about a minute, stirring constantly for one minute until fragrant. It will have a paste-like texture.
- Tip all of the roasted vegetables into the pot with the cooked spice mixture, then add chicken stock, and oat milk.
- Use an immersion blender on low to start slowly blending the soup, breaking down the large chunks.
- Once the large chunks of veggies are gone, increase the speed and continue blending until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and/or consistency if needed. Keep your soup warm over low heat–stirring occasionally–while you make the cheesy thyme toast below.
make the cheesy thyme toast and serve:
- Choose a nice crusty bread and slice it. Peel a garlic clove or two (again, leave them whole) and shred the gruyere cheese. Strip a few thyme sprigs of their little leaves.
- Lightly toast the bread then rub the surface of each warm slice with a raw whole garlic clove. Top each toast with some shredded gruyere and a few fresh thyme leaves.
- Broil the toasts for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Ladle your roast pumpkin and cauliflower soup into serving bowls and top with roasted pumpkin oil, cracked pepper, and slices of cheesy thyme toast.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
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